


Bury Me In Stardust

by somnivagrantTraviatus



Series: TaiQrow Nonsense [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: "mature" for frank discussion of sex, M/M, happy valentine's day. have some bittersweet "wtf are we?" feelings, no one here is approaching this with a healthy mindset right now, post-Summer pre-canon, quasiplatonic partners with benefits, queer relationship anarchy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29445573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somnivagrantTraviatus/pseuds/somnivagrantTraviatus
Summary: It's been a few years since Summer died, and Taiyang is still a mess. Qrow's been helping out with that, in the ways he knows how, but how long will it be until he leaves, too?
Relationships: Qrow Branwen & Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen + Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long
Series: TaiQrow Nonsense [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2126112
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Bury Me In Stardust

**Author's Note:**

> The author of this fic is aromantic, and is exploring a relationship wherein one party does not/cannot return the other's feelings from this lens. This naturally calls up some unpleasant associations in the context of a male/male relationship. **If you find this idea disturbing, this fic may not be for you.**

“How long is this going to last?”

Qrow looked over at him, languid and unguarded the way he only was after sex. Tai’s chest burned with affection – the open smoothness of Qrow’s face, the trust there, that after everything, _this_ was _home_ – but that was just the problem, wasn’t it? “Prob’ly til I gotta get up in the morning,” he smiled, without artifice. His fingers brushed slowly against Tai’s cheek. 

Tai pulled away just enough to leave them hanging, skin already missing the touch. Something heavy sat in his throat. “No, I mean. This.” He swallowed. Did he want to laugh or cry? “Us.”

Qrow sat up, frowning. Tai hated himself for the wrinkles he'd put there. “Long as you need me. What’s this about?”

“Just–” Tai broke off, swiping a hand down his face. Why was this so _hard?_ You’d think, after losing two partners, the next would be easier. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate everything you’re doing for me, but– I can’t–” 

There was a portrait of Summer he kept framed on what would always be her side of the bed. Her eyes sparkled in the spring light as she laughed at something one of them had said, him or Qrow or Raven, he couldn’t remember which anymore, and he _ached_ to feel her there. To push her hair out of her face for any excuse to rest a hand on her cheek, to kiss her in the morning, to press pancakes into her hands and give her flowers. His 小月亮片.

“I love you, Qrow.” The balefire words sat on his tongue like an indictment. “But it’s not the same. And if you’re going to leave, I’d rather know before you walk away.”

Qrow watched him, eyes piercing, but so much softer than Raven’s. Raven found his faults and polished them, smiling like a knife all the while. He was never sure whether to be proud or ashamed when she cracked him open, a weapon to be reforged or a thing to be put down. But Qrow was mutable. Adaptable. He found Tai’s cracks and molded himself to fit. “You think I’m gonna leave cause you don’t wanna make me breakfast in bed? C’mon, Tai, you’re gonna have to do a lot worse than that.”

“This isn’t a joke, Qrow.” Tension plucked the cords of his arms like strings. He sighed and sat back, rolling his weak wrist. “I can kiss you, and fuck you, and everything else, but there’s never gonna be the kind of feeling I had for her.” Summer? Raven? He wasn’t sure which he meant. “And you deserve that! I don’t want you to feel like I don’t care, or like you’re some kind of stand-in. Like I’m using you, or just waiting to move on to someone else.” 

Fat chance of that, anyway. After all their team had been through together, he couldn’t imagine being with another woman – one who hadn’t fought alongside them, hadn’t faced down Salem’s Grimm, hadn’t been there at the campfires and on missions and at board game nights. 

“You didn’t have to try to fix me,” Tai said, picking words out like skipping stones from the bottom of a murky pond. “But you did, and I’m always gonna be grateful for that. I just don’t want you to live your life waiting for the next time you have to put me back together.”

Qrow sighed, a slow exhale that tore at the corners. “It’s not like that,” he said, resting a hand on Tai’s forearm. When Tai didn’t flinch back, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “You know I don’t do favors. I do this ‘cause you’re my _team_ , Tai. You’re _family._ ” He looked up at the closet. The doors were shut, but they both knew Raven’s feathers were carefully bundled on the top shelf. “Tribe mentality is fucking awful, but family is the one thing they got right. We’re in this together,” he recited, voice low and even. “No one gets to be weak without dragging everyone else down with them.”

Tai flinched. Qrow gripped his arm, sharp enough to stop him spiraling. “It doesn’t have to be a bad thing,” Qrow asserted. “You and Summer taught me that. It means if I can help, I’m gonna do everything I can for you.” Something hard flashed over his face, but Tai blinked and it was gone, replaced with something tender enough to make Tai’s heart flip. He brought a hand up, slow, and brushed Tai’s bangs out of his eyes. “I’d do a lot for you, y'know.” The rasp of his voice was soft but sure. “You’re the only family I got left, too.”

The ache there resounded, bumping up against the black hole in Tai’s ribs, painful enough to make him draw breath. Gods, he was selfish. He’d had a home and a family, and Qrow had had none of that, and gave up more for _this._ Secrets and Summer and _him,_ still hiding under the covers and too scared to face the world. “Okay, but…” Tai gestured. “This goes a lot beyond favors and helping out around the house. You know that, right?”

Qrow snorted. “You think I’m looking for a lasting relationship at every inn? Sex is just sex, Tai. It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“But –”

“Hey.” Qrow set a finger over his lips. “I like sex. I like fucking you. And I think you like fucking me, too.” His leer softened into a fond smirk. “It feels good, it’s easier than talking, and it gets you out of your head. If that’s all it is, that’s _fine with me,_ okay?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not… trying to turn you gay or anything.”

“No!” Tai recoiled, shaking his head. “I didn’t mean–”

Qrow huffed, lips quirking up at the corner. “Yeah. I know you’re not into guys like that, and that’s fine. I’m not expecting anything more from you, Tai. I’ll be here for as long as you need.”

Tai’s eyes felt wet. He ducked his head into Qrow’s side, pressing his face against his breastbone. Qrow’s arms came up to encircle him from behind, and he felt warm, and safe, and _loved._ “You promise?” he asked, quiet.

Qrow chuckled, the sound low and deep against Tai’s skull, and twined his fingers through Tai’s hair. “Yeah,” he said. “Promise.”


End file.
